The Indian Trumpet

June 29, 2020

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by Archana R Singh

How does it feel to be a shoe?

The shoe is considered so impure that upon accidental contact with another person’s body, you apologise and in a typical Indian gesture tap the person slightly and touch own forehead to express regret. What is it that you like to hurl at offensive people, or weave a garland to adorn hated persons or their effigies, use as a weapon to beat people up as ultimate punishment or remove from your body at the threshold of temples, shrines and even homes? It’s a lowly shoe. – The Indian Trumpet’s Shoe Special Edition Being a shoe must be pathetic, you imagine. Cut…

June 28, 2020

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by Disney Brar

To Parle G, with love

desi emotions, Food

They are the oldest known biscuits in India. They are not just biscuits but are a way of life. They were the first-ever biscuits I was introduced to when I was a toddler and ever since the romance has continued. How can I forget the smiling face of the cherubic baby on the packs of Parle G smiling back at me during visits to apna bazaar to pick up the weekly groceries? As children we knew that mom would never say no to Parle G. It was an integral part of our childhood. Ever since I have heard about the…

June 24, 2020

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by Anu M

Do you speak like a Delhiite?

desi emotions, Trumpet Lead

If language were a cuisine, Delhi would have been serving the spiciest, tangiest and most savoury potpourri with surprises in each bite. And bite the tongue (literally and figuratively) you will, dare you not enjoy their verbal feast. So here we are blowing The Indian Trumpet in Delhi’s sound bite with an invitation to all and sundry to jibe along or gibe away… as you like it. Delhi is so ‘amazing-shamazing’ that you can never get ‘enough-shenough’ of it. – The Indian Trumpet’s Dilli Special Edition A: AbeRemember the word ‘Shrimaan Ji’ from Hindi applications and letter formats we learnt…

June 23, 2020

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by Team Trumpet Blowers

Life in a metro

Photo Essays

A pictorial tribute to the life line. Dubai, a city that never sleeps, dreams big, boosts ambitions, inspires richness & spells glamour is connected by the Dubai Metro. Foremost, we fall in love with Dubai Metro. Later, we hail cabs, rent cars and drive our machines. Let the affair unfold. – The Indian Trumpet’s Debut Edition The familiar & the unfamiliar meet on the tracks. The old & the new greet us on the doorstep. The journeys & destinations become safer, closer & comfortable – courtesy the Dubai Metro. Images on the featured pages: Nabi Ahmadi; artwork: Kamaini Mittal. Keep…

June 22, 2020

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by Team Trumpet Blowers

Buteh, the paisley

Our Shabdkosh

There are many theories on its origin. One of them being that it is a fertility symbol, the fresh shoot of a date palm. The date palm represented the tree of life for primeval Babylonians, being a source of their food, wood and wine. And from there it travelled all the way to Kashmir, India. But how did it get the very Anglo Saxon name paisley? Also known as ambi in Punjabi, carrey in Urdu, kalga in Kashmiri, kolke in Bengali, koyari in Marathi and mankolam in Tamil… – The Indian Trumpet’s Debut Edition It’s believed that in Kashmir the…

June 18, 2020

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by Abhinav Bhatt

Mughal-e-azam

Bollywood, IdharUdhar

the film… Mughal-e-Azam defines Indian cinema in a way that no other movie can. It is an epic historical drama with romance at its core. It is a marvel directed by K.Asif with the finest actors of the era, which created magic with its beautiful songs and intense, emotional storyline. The story revolved around two lovers and one antagonist who didn’t approve of the love. The classic broke many records and gave us a chance to witness a grandeur never seen before in an Indian movie. It was, is and will always be a strong pillar of Indian cinema… We…

June 17, 2020

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by Michelle D'Costa

Torn: In between, Two lands, Two cultures…

desi emotions, Desi Lit

At times I feelAs alienAs the crows here Looking atBored palm treesImagining paani puri vendors A young poetess shares her experience of struggling between multiple cultures, tongues, and experiences. – The Indian Trumpet’s Debut Edition Transfer of recipesThrough the phoneMake me nostalgicAnd I’m almost temptedTo sniff the receiverFor the smellOf soil after rain News on TVRemind me lifeGoes on back at homeWhile I’m hereOn foreign landMissingThe annoyingCompany of mosquitoes My accentGives awayMy nostalgia I am tornIn betweenTwo landsTwo culturesAnd two tonguesNo threeOr is it four? I smileAmidst all the confusionFor my multiple personalityIs what everyoneEnjoys the most back home With…

June 16, 2020

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by Ayandrali Dutta

Walk the rainbow

Bharat Darshan, The Globe & The Gully

It’s a July morning when I find my escape route from the heat in the Indian capital in my sudden travel plans to the Valley of Flowers. A paradise for trekkers and a stunning floral spread await me at the valley in Uttarakhand, Western Himalayas. As I drive along the hills towards Joshimath I am greeted with postcard views of the mountain ranges. The roads cut through the mountains in a way that I can catch a glimpse of the flowing Pushpawati river, a small tributary from the Tipra glacier. Driving uphill (Joshimath is at an altitude of 6,000 feet)…

June 15, 2020

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by Navneet Banwait

On the streets of India…

desi emotions, Last Word

Busy, colourful, chaotic. Jumbled up thoughts, unruly traffic and innumerable vendors. I try to find my way in between the crowds, cows and crows. Naked wires, stuffy booths and loud cries. Nothing has changed on the Indian streets. It adds to the flavour of my country. It is on these streets that I played. I miss the chaos. As I boarded the plane to stay in an alien land I realised I am leaving behind these streets. My new home is rich but I miss the modest warmth. The ‘nai’ (hairdresser) sitting under a tree. A cycle workshop in the…

June 14, 2020

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by Jayanthi Somasundaram

On the jasmine trail, the charm of a gajra

desi emotions, Fashion Fry

We drove past dry arid lands, for a very long time. The scorching sun, the empty roads and the eerie stillness did not deter us. We were in search of the famous Madurai malli. The local guide, internet research and every villager whom we stopped to ask for directions said the same thing: keep going straight and you will see jasmine plants till as far as the eye can see. So, we drove in the scorching heat for miles, through the small village called ‘Nilakottai’ and could only see emptiness. Madurai and malli (jasmine) go hand in hand and this…